America’s favorite and least favorite supermarkets

In a study by Market Force Information, 6,600 consumers were asked to rank their favorite supermarkets in terms of categories such as price, convenience, quality of meat and produce, courteous staff, and variety of merchandise.

The contenders range from supersize grocery chains such as Stop &Shop, Whole Foods, and Walmart to retailers with a neighborhood-market feel, such as Trader Joe’s.

Customers appreciated Stop & Shop’s cleanliness. However, they said prices aren’t the most competitive among all supermarkets.
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MARIO ANZUONI/REUTERS

Costco

While Costco’s daily low price attracts many customers, the study shows that buyers expect higher-quality meat and produce from the store.
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FREDERIC J. BROWN/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Walmart

Walmart landed at the bottom of the survey due to complaints of low-quality produce, unsanitary marketplaces, and crowded stores.
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SCOTT ISKOWITZ/ASSOCIATED PRESS

Publix

Publix, a supermarket chain popular in the Southeast, scored high in the study for its cleanliness, courteous staff, and good promotions. However, customers hope the store could bring in more natural and organic options.
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MICHAEL CONROY/ASSOCIATED PRESS

Kroger

Kroger, a supermarket chain based in Cincinnati, scored high for its convenient location and good promotions. However, consumers say the store’s pricing is inaccurate sometimes, and checkout could be slow.
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MATT CARDY/GETTY IMAGES

ALDI

A sister company of Trader Joe’s, Aldi is also owned by Germany’s Albrecht family. Consumers approve of its low prices, but think that the store should be more accurate about its pricing and improve its sustainable practices.
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Ralph’s

Ralph’s, a supermarket chain based in Southern California, is regonized for its convenient locations. However, the branch ranked low in cleanliness.
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H-E-B

H-E-B, a supermarket chain based in Texas, impressed customers with its merchandise selections, cleanliness, and courteous staff. However, customers hope the brand could provide more nutritional information.
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